Program will outline local healthcare job opportunities

November 9, 2010

By

Victoria Stanish

The Pa. Careerlink Center on Depot Street will hold an informative program about local jobs in the healthcare field this Friday at 1 p.m. Depot Street is currently under construction, but ample parking is available off to the side of the building. Daily Press file photo by Becky Polaski.

Healthcare is a fast-growing career throughout the nation and particularly in Pennsylvania. The demand for skilled health-care workers often exceeds the supply of people with the proper training.
In an effort to help area residents explore careers in the healthcare industry and learn more about what kinds of jobs might be available, Pa. CareerLink is holding an informative program that will feature presentations by area healthcare employers and local educational and training facilities on Friday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. at the St. Marys CareerLink office, located at 301 Depot St.
CareerLink specialist Debbie Anderson said Adult Recruitment to Careers in Healthcare (ARCH) is a new program that helps introduce the variety of healthcare positions available to displaced workers, non-traditional students or people who want to transition to a new career from what they are doing now. The program is
by the Northwest Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center, an organization that works to help communities in a 15-county area in northwestern Pa. meet the health-care needs of residents through the development of local workforces. CareerLink employees and ARCH program specialists met over the summer to talk about bringing the program to the Elk County area. â€¨"The health-care field is wide-open, and there is a desperate need for qualified people for these positions," said Gary Graham, CareerLink specialist at the St. Marys office.
The program, expected to last about an hour and a half, will first provide an overview of the different careers available in healthcare. Then, employers will give a presentation on their respective health-care facilities and what they look for in an employee.
"They're all local," Anderson said of the employers.
Educational providers will then talk about the type of curriculum adult learners would experience and the types of financial assistance available.
"There is a lot of funding available for this type of training," Graham said.
People who come to the event will receive a folder with information about healthcare careers and obtaining employment in the healthcare field. They will also have the opportunity to ask questions and speak directly with representatives from healthcare facilities and educational institutions.
Anderson said there are a large number of health career job openings in the area, and that salaries for those positions are generally very good.
"Due to the demand and projected wages that are being offered in the medical field, this might be an opportunity for you to pursue," Anderson said.
Anderson also reminded area residents that CareerLink can help people find jobs in all sorts of fields, and help employers fill positions.
"Not all of the jobs in the area are advertised in the newspaper," Anderson said.
She said people looking for either part-time or full-time employment in skilled or unskilled positions can contact CareerLink at 834-2857 or apply in person. There is no charge for either jobseekers or employers to apply for or post jobs.
For more on this story, see the Nov. 9 edition of The Daily Press.